This happens a lot, but I’ve had to push back the planned release date for The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – A Wanton Criminal until next year. My goal is to have it available in the first quarter of 2026 so I don’t keep readers waiting too long.

You might wonder why these scheduling shifts happen, especially if you’re an aspiring indie author yourself who might one day deal with such issues. Very simply, the two things that lead to these delays are the result of time and money — or, more precisely, the lack thereof.

I refuse to use generative AI in any part of my process, including cover art. I insist on supporting fellow creatives and paying them for their labor, but that requires having the money to pay them. If I don’t have the financial resources on-hand at a given time, I have to wait until I do before contacting my editor, Julie, and my cover artist, Tricia, and then — because they’re employed and have families, they has to find the time to do their work.

Once the whole process gets underway, I usually have a finished book in-hand quickly, but getting the ball rolling is where things usually bog down.

These are unfortunate realities for any indie author. We almost always have full-time day jobs and the entailing financial constraints, and our book sales are rarely enough of a revenue generator that our writing self-funds related expenses like editing, cover art, marketing, etc. That’s an unfortunate reality of our corner of the industry.

BTW, anyone who claims otherwise is not being completely honest. The percentage of authors who make a living solely off their writing is very small, and a lot of indie authors engage in wholesale puffery to make themselves sound more financially successful that they really are. Take their claims with a generous grain of salt, and don’t let them undermine your own confidence. Chances are, they’re not doing any better than you are, but their egos won’t let them admit that.

WRITING PROJECTS

Action Figures – Legacies 2 – Finished, waiting on cover art. Tentative release date: early 2026.

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – A Wanton Criminal: Edited, awaiting cover art. Tentatively set for early 2026 release.

The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – untitled book nine: First draft underway.

APPEARANCES & EVENTS

Nothing currently scheduled.

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